So the old saying goes “hindsight is 20/20,” and for me there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think of this expression. When I was younger I was a very wild person, I lived a crazy life, and did many things that I’m not proud of, but more important are all the mistakes that I made. The biggest mistake I think I have made all my life is wasting time. For the last 17 years I lived in Hollywood, California. I moved there just after I turned 21, so being young and stupid I, for some reason, thought it was cool to go out and spend all of my money in bars and clubs. I even had a system set up with my friends that gave all the local Hollywood clubs a number. For example, “Small K.O.” was number 1, and “Three Clubs” was number 2, and so on. We would send each other pages, so we would know what club to meet up at, and for what? To drink or hang out with the same people that we had been hanging out with for so many years? Now this is where the “hindsight is 20/20” comes into play.
I’m older now, and I can see so clearly all the time and money that I wasted. I didn’t travel. I did nothing to better myself. I didn’t even see my family. I just worked like a dog, so that I could spend time with people that were heading the same place I was, nowhere. I spent the best years of my life in dark clubs mingling with people that wanted to be famous. It’s torture just to think of it. I could have done so much more. I could have traveled, learnt a language, taken classes, or saved for my future. But that’s all history now. I’m just left with “hindsight.” I hope that in the future I can learn from this difficult lesson, and take advantage of the time I have because I don’t want to live the next 20 years like I did the last 20.
How will you spend the next 20 years?
Jerry
Carol says
Jerry, I hope you don’t mind what I’m going to say, but it makes me kind of sad, reading your article. I read about a youth spent exactly as it should be – having fun! I read about an excitng youth spent mixing with potential stars in California! And yet I read about such huge regret!
Every decision you made has brought you to where you are right now, Jerry! Other decsions would have brought you somewhere else, and you wouldn’t be experiencing all that you get see and do right here!
Regrets,everyone has some. But don’t waste too much time on regrets, Jerry! That can be a big waste of time, too! Enjoy your life right now, accept the decisions of your youth, and revel in the wild stories you have to share! Those events lead you here, and this will take you to the next thing!
The best years of your life are Now, Jerry! Enjoy Japan!
Carol says
sorry for the spelling mistakes..I didn’t catch them and I don’t have an edit button…
Carol